Hurricanes beat Sharks in Napier

The Hurricanes have played the Sharks 19 times in Super Rugby since 1998 and both teams have won nine matches, lost nine matches and drawn one.

The average score across all venues when these two teams meet is Hurricanes 26 Sharks 24.

The Hurricanes have won three of their last five games against the Sharks and will be looking for back-to-back wins against them for the first time since 2005/06.

Indeed, each of the most recent six games between these teams has been won by the home side on the day.

The Hurricanes have lost consecutive games against South African sides, the last time they lost more on the trot was from March 2010 to April 2011 (L5).

The Sharks are the only side to make fewer than 100 carries per match this season (97).

Ben Lam is the top try scorer this season, scoring eight in five appearances, after scoring just two in his first 12 games in the competition.

Match detail

We are waiting for the kick-off.

1.00: PEEEEP! We are underway in Wellington.

4.00: PENALTY! Du Preez puts the Sharks on the board. 0-3

6.00: The Hurricanes have possession and have the visitors on the backfoot.

8.00: TRY! Jordie Barrett finishes off a slick backline move for the home team’s first try. 5-3

9.00: MISS! The conversion is wide. 5-3

11.00: The Hurricanes’ defence is holding strong.

13.00: The Wellington team has a scrum on halfway, but kick the ball away.

16.00: TRY! Ngani Laumape is over after some magic offloading. 10-3

18.00: Conversion: West adds the extras. 12-3

20.00: Sharks take a quick tap-and-go from a scrum free-kick and are on the attack inside the Hurricanes’ 22.

21.00: TRY! Lukhanyo Am is in for the Sharks first try. 12-8

22.00: CONVERSION: Du Preez adds the two. 12-10

25.00: TRY! Loius Schreuder is in for another; the Sharks have hit back. 12-15

26.00: CONVERSION: Another two for the Sharks’ standoff. 12-17

28.00: The Hurricanes hold the Sharks maul, up and get the turnover.

31.00: TRY! Vince Aso is over! The Hurricanes score against the run of play. The Sharks make an error and West puts in a cross-kick, which went straight through Mvovu’s hands and was collected by Aso, who has a clear run at the try line. 17-all

32.00: CONVERSION: West puts the Canes in the lead. 19-17

34.00: PENALTY! Du Preez kicks his first three-pointer of the evening to put the Sharks back in front. 19-20

35.00: TRY! Am has his second. It came from a break in the Hurricanes’ defence by some good attacking play. Am almost loses the ball forward, but the score is awarded. 19-22

36.00: CONVERSION! Du Preez adds another two points. 19-27

39.00: Sharks scrum, just inside their own half, and they manage to launch an attack that gets them over the advantage line. But, their momentum is lost when the ball is lost forward into contact.

40.00: The siren sounds with the canes on the attack, but nothing comes of it.

The half-time score was Hurricanes 19 Sharks 27

41.00: PEEEEP! We are back underway in Napier.

43.00: TJ Perenara did not come out after the break, neither did try-scorer Schreuder, so we have two new halfbacks.

44.00: Am is penalised for offsides. West will take a shot at goal.

45.00: PENALTY! West reduces the deficit with some early second-half points. 22-27

48.00: The home team has not been great in the restarts, tonight. They need to sharpen that up.

51.00: PENALTY! West has put his team back in this contest with another penalty. 25-27

52.00: The sharks make some metres with Stephan Lewies. The attack comes to nothing, but the visitors get another penalty. The Sharks’ offloading game has been excellent tonight.

55.00: PENALTY! The Sharks standoff won’t miss from in front. 25-30

56.00: The Hurricanes’ restarts have been poor. The last one led to the Sharks getting an attacking opportunity and taking the points.

57.00: The Sharks break in midfield, and look to be over the whitewash. Laumape turned the ball over and the visitors took advantage. Sharks scrum, five metres out.

58.00: The Sharks botch the attacking scrum after the ball spills out the back. The Canes win possession and clear the danger. That’s a big moment in the second-half.

60.00: Lwazi Mvovo makes a midfield break. but the move is botched with some poor handling.

61.00: West clears after the Hurricanes win the lineout, but the Sharks have a lineout on the home team’s 22.

62.00: Thomas du Toit with another barnstorming run, is halted, and the Hurricanes win the penalty at the breakdown.

64.00: The Hurricanes turn defence into attack; they are awarded a penalty and kick to the corner.

66.00: Another penalty, this time from a driving maul, is kicked to the corner. The Sharks are under the pump.